The real people of America. French fries with tartar sauce. Finishing at the end of each day. Smells. Hole-in-the-wall eateries. Small bike shops. Wide open spaces. Downhills. The anticipation and excitement of riding through places I've always heard about but never been. Showers. Feeling tight and healthy. Riding the back streets of cities and main streets of small towns. Going a little bit faster than the dog. Not understanding how a bike stays upright when I'm on it. My shadow moving next to me. An occasional but incredible tailwind. People saying, "Are you crazy?" I want to ride DOWN Washington Pass! Cleats and clip-in pedals. Songs in my head.
Quiet, nothing but the wind. Early morning fog. Figuring out how to carry one more license plate. The mountain climbs. Experiencing creation at much less than interstate speeds. Beef Jerky, gummy bears, and Carb Boom. Ducks in North Dakota. Riding in the rain. Seeing the brown Explorer parked up the road. Barns. Rest days. Because it was too good to do just one time. Riding Michigan's U.P. Leg warmers, wind breakers, and gloves. Centuries. The Great Lakes. "Where ya headed?" from riders pedaling the other way. Grain elevators from miles away. Wildlife. Smooth road surfaces.
Breakfast subs in Twisp, Washington. The Atlantic and the Pacific. Crossing the halfway mark. Junk stores. Noma in Tonasket. Breaking the speed limit. Bison burgers. Making new friends. Getting better routes from the locals. Stopping to catch great photo shots. Blogging the adventure. Praying with Margaret by the Explorer each morning. Route 2. Historical sites. The mysteries of abandoned farm houses. Surprises. Cold water that doesn't taste like a water bottle. Maps. Root beer. Burning up calories faster than I can put them in.
Encouraging notes on my blog. Snow in the mountains. Bald eagles, bison, moose, and antelope. Cannondale. The challenge of a good ride. The riders who will join me along the way. Riding, no matter what! Discovering more of America. The Coeur d'Alene Bike Trail across Idaho. Downtown Duluth, Minnesota. Ice cream. Ignoring detours. SRAM components. The mixed emotions of getting closer to the Pacific. Riding through an irrigation sprinkler on a hot day. The long talks even when I'm alone. The click of a cleat in a pedal. A perfectly adjusted saddle. A great opportunity to share my faith in Jesus. The unexpected.
Cool and colorful jerseys. Hearing my heartbeat. People in cars looking at me like I'm crazy, especially on rainy or snowy days. No hands! The mist from the Pacific at Neah Bay, Washington. Eugene's Pizza in Glasgow, Montana. Bumper stickers. Lonely roads and little traffic. The mountains of the Northeast. Long trains going my way. A new bike. Sounds of the road under my two tires. Freedom. The wonder of it all. Refreshment, renewal, and revival. Creation bragging about the Creator. Cattle running away from me and horses running with me. Dipping my back tire in the Atlantic Ocean. Dipping that front tire in the Pacific. Packing a treasure chest of memories.
So I can say, "Because it was too good to do just two times."
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